Directions:Briefly describe the case for the rest of the class -- the situation and the problems involved. Then, using your knowledge of responding effectively to student writing, pose possible alternatives for the teacher's actions that might have resulted in more positive results for the student, the teacher, and the rest of the class.
Post responses below...
In this scenario, a freshmen professor has given an assignment for students to write either a list or a narrative of a "good family". One student chooses to write about their family experience in immigrating to America. In the assignment, the student gives a brief but powerful insight into the hardships they have faced and what sacrifices the student's family and mother especially have had to make to continue to survive and offer a brighter future to the student. The issue the teacher now faces is how to go about being responsive to the power of this writing while still being sure to address the multiple grammar and writing mistakes that exist in the piece.
I believe that though this may not have been what the professor expected from a freshmen in college, this is a powerful moment for this teacher to build a relationship with this student, and to start a conversation that can lead this student to having a great connection to writing and their own writing skills. Though the teacher obviously needs to address the writing issues as it is a writing class, I believe those issues should be the last thing addressed. This student has managed to open up and be very vulnerable, and has also provided a great example for how powerful writing can be. If this student simply receives a paper back with red marks correcting mistakes, they may feel very discouraged and may not open up again.
Our knowledge that the student is a non-native speaker will definitely affect our response to its language problems. We should be aware that it's really a big challenge for a non-native to write in a language he is not familiar with, and we should be impressed how the student can still write out the content and express the feelings with such power. The response should be focused mainly on the content. A one-to-one conference will work better, and the teacher should give specific feedbacks on the strength of this writing, as well as some constructive suggestions on parts the student can work better. Though we must not discourage the student by pointing out all that language mistakes, we may teach the student two or three things concerning language every time. As Delpit has stated, we have to equip the students with the skill to survive in a dominant culture.
Directions: Briefly describe the case for the rest of the class -- the situation and the problems involved. Then, using your knowledge of responding effectively to student writing, pose possible alternatives for the teacher's actions that might have resulted in more positive results for the student, the teacher, and the rest of the class.
Post responses below...
In this scenario, a freshmen professor has given an assignment for students to write either a list or a narrative of a "good family". One student chooses to write about their family experience in immigrating to America. In the assignment, the student gives a brief but powerful insight into the hardships they have faced and what sacrifices the student's family and mother especially have had to make to continue to survive and offer a brighter future to the student. The issue the teacher now faces is how to go about being responsive to the power of this writing while still being sure to address the multiple grammar and writing mistakes that exist in the piece.
I believe that though this may not have been what the professor expected from a freshmen in college, this is a powerful moment for this teacher to build a relationship with this student, and to start a conversation that can lead this student to having a great connection to writing and their own writing skills. Though the teacher obviously needs to address the writing issues as it is a writing class, I believe those issues should be the last thing addressed. This student has managed to open up and be very vulnerable, and has also provided a great example for how powerful writing can be. If this student simply receives a paper back with red marks correcting mistakes, they may feel very discouraged and may not open up again.
Our knowledge that the student is a non-native speaker will definitely affect our response to its language problems. We should be aware that it's really a big challenge for a non-native to write in a language he is not familiar with, and we should be impressed how the student can still write out the content and express the feelings with such power. The response should be focused mainly on the content. A one-to-one conference will work better, and the teacher should give specific feedbacks on the strength of this writing, as well as some constructive suggestions on parts the student can work better. Though we must not discourage the student by pointing out all that language mistakes, we may teach the student two or three things concerning language every time. As Delpit has stated, we have to equip the students with the skill to survive in a dominant culture.